Monday, January 5, 2015

This morning I pedaled another 21.8 miles on my Schwinn 170. Yes I am still on my way and today my grand total is 14,851.1 miles; 23,900.6 kilometers.

This is the 719th day that I have been using, first a Schwinn 150, and now my current Schwinn 170. And I am into a new calendar year.

I am presently still located in the Northern Territory of Australia heading south on National Highway 87. Shortly I will be crossing the North Maywood Creek. Just discovered that I am in the area of Northern Territory called the Barkly Tableland. The Tableland is a rolling plain of grassland. The 2007 population for this area was at 6,330 or just over 0.05/square mile.

Can’t explain the white streak on this morning’s Google Map location image. All I can say that the image is dated February 2008.

Last month I decided to go through the 31 days with the intent of not “Liking” anything on Facebook, Linkedin, or any other social media. First I have to come clean. In 31 days I “Liked” only once…and it is sort of a cloud hanging over my head. But allowing that, I can note something that I think I did prove to myself with this mini-experiment.

I am now no longer checking or worried about how many “Likes” I myself receive to each and any time I add anything to any of my social media accounts. I am no longer tied to and dependent upon my perceived electronic “Friends”. I knew that I had been falling into a downward spiraling superficial and self-induced ego-centric narcissistic (how’s that for enough self-debasing adjectives) schism worrying about whether anybody out there in InternetLand “Liked” or even acknowledged my very existence.

I am not damning the use of social media. I am simply saying that I am trying to determine how I can avoid falling into a sense of false satisfaction.

During the 31 days I experienced high and low feelings. Neither has anything at all to do with the use of social media. BUT, it has been social media that, as a tool, has enabled me to further explore those feelings. Instead of “Liking”, that is, just checking the “Like” box I compelled myself to “Comment” as to why I liked something that was added to an account. This forced me to be more real, I believe. I was not focused on what others thought of me. I concentrated on what a “Friend” was actually saying and/or presenting. It has made a difference.

Yes “Friends”, I attempt to read the majority of your posts, if they interest me. And yes I try to comment when I do “like” or do not agree with and what you post. It is my way of continuing a communication.

I now no longer feel that I am electronically nodding my head or grunting. And further, I really do not care whether there is one or three hundred thousand “Likes” tabulated.

This has caused me to slow down somewhat. But I think I have freed myself of the dreaded forthcoming “why-did-no-one-Like-what-I-posted” syndrome.

Today is January 5th in Florida.

This is my 765th Jim’s Trek post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this morning, 58,457 Pageviews.